Simba's Back
by everlasting-oranges
Summary: A sequel to ‘While Simba Was Away’, READ THAT FIRST! What’s up with Sabili and Kali? Who will Nala choose - Simba or Kali? Or neither? What happens to the rest of the Pride Landers?
1. Introduction Sabili and Zuri

Title: Simba's Back

Summary: What's up with Sabili and Kali? Who will Nala choose - Simba or Kali? Or none? What happens to the rest of the Pride Landers? A sequel to 'While Simba Was Away', READ THAT FIRST!

A/N: Hello! Welcome to my new story, well actually a continuation sort of, of 'While Simba Was Away.' Like said in the last story, the first few chapters will probably be all about Sabili. At least this one is. Hope you like it!

For who asked "Who's Sabili?" (I can't remember who asked), Sabili was stated as Kali's sister.

Sorry it took so long. School's been hectic!

Also, if you can think of a better title then this crappy one lol it would be much appriciated. But if not, this will do lol/

End of A/N

"Where are we going?" whispered a beautiful lionesses with a darker pelt, a creamy colored muzzle and paws, and striking bright green eyes.

"Shh, Sabili!" whispered the lioness back. "You know we weren't supposed to leave the pride!"

"I know, I know," she gumbled softly back. "But you can quit being a baby, Zuri." The lioness turned and frowned, before going on.

"There he is," she whispered, "I've never have seen a more handsome lion then him, have you?"

"Well, I haven't seen that many lions to begin with," Sabili thought for a moment, "Only three. The King, and two rouges. But out of them, yeah, he is the most handsome."

Zuri looked over her shoulder. "We better go. Mom's going to be furious."

"Oh, who cares. She's always mad at us for something."

"Just come on, Sabili." Zuri turned her back to the rouge, walking away, as did Sabili. Then they both got knocked to the ground softly.

"Well, what do we have here?" the lion smiled, having both pinned at the same time. Sabili looked over to her sister, and she was clearly panicked. But she kept her cool.

"Oh, just looking around. I hope we didn't intrude, but of course we didn't, because your on our prides land. So, if you'll excuse us..." She tried to get away but couldn't.

"Aww, don't you pretty things want some company?"

Zuri, growing more anxious but brave, shouted, "No, we do not want company. We just want to go back."

"I'm afraid that's not possible. You two are just to pretty," he said slowly, his eyes examining Sabili. "Boys!"

Two more lions jumped up, unknown to the young lionesses until now. Sabili looked over to Zuri, frightened, and then suddenly everything was black.

----------

A paw jabbed furously into her side and she moaned, turning to her other side, but the poking persisted. "Sabili, get up!" Zuri's voice whispered frantically, and her sister, suddenly realizing she was not with the pride, just with her sister, jumped to her feet, but then fell.

"Zuri, something's wrong with my paw!" she tried to examine it, but they were in a cave or den of some sort, far down, or it was dark, and there was no light. She was confused, and hurting. "Have you tried to find away out of her yet?"

"No! I was waiting for you to wake up! Do you think I was going by myself?"

"Well, your still gonna have to. My paws to sore. Just go along this wall, that's here," she patted against the rock wall, "and follow it. Yell once in a while, make sure we can still hear each other. Which way are you going?"

"Uhh, this way," she said, walking along one side of the wall.

"Okay, I'll lie this way, to remember. If I don't hear from you in a while, I'm coming after you, paw or no paw. So remember to call back."

"Okay," Zuri whispered. She started to walk when her sister's voice called out.

"Zuri?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

"Okay," she whispered, walking along the wall, hoping to find an escape, light, anything. Anything other then the darkness.

A/N: I just wanted to get it started. I know, your like "I thought you said Sabili, Kali, and Simba were the only cubs? Wellll, your just going to have to watch and find out how Zuri is her sister hehehehehe."

Love, Alyssa


	2. Ubaya Ridge

1A/N: Kiara: I'm going to start putting Simba and Nala etc... part's in after I get you all more familiar to Sabili and her surroundings, theres a big thickener thrown into this story, im sure your all dying to know ;-)

There are three new lions/lionesses you will meet in this chapter! Yahhh! Lol.

WARNING: This chapter has some plot, but not much lol. Just more fluff t get you to feel the personalities of Sabili's Pride (Pride Ubaya Ridge). Plot will thicken much for Sabili, but I can't think of much plot for Nala, Simba, Kali, etc. Perhaps this will be a mostly Sabili Story, but I believe Sabili and Simba will meet. Not sure lol. They should. Who knows?

Sabili called out again to her sister. "Zuri! Zuri?" she called out down the cave. No reply came back, and hurting and tired, she stood and limped down the rock wall where her sister had disappeared to.

--------

"Zuri?" called out Sabili when she reached the end of the cave, scanning the grasses gleaming with the moon's light.

"Sabili, nice of you to join us," came a female voice, where suddenly a lighter colored lioness appeared before her, apparently jumping out of the nearby tree. The lioness grinned at Sabili's clear shock. "Wondering where your sister is Zuri? She's gone back to the pride, where she was born and raised. However, you need to back to where /you/ were born."

Sabili scrunched her forehead in confussion. "Are you with the males that came here?"

"Oh Kings, no. I came here to lead you both out of that cave. But Zuri was already exiting, and then I was just coming to get you."

"I'm going to go," Sabili said low and quiet, now on guard.

"Sure. Just keep in mind what I said," she said, dissapearing into the nearby tall gasses. Sabili stood, staring, wondering what she meant. Back to where she was born? But she was born right here on Ubaya Ridge, she was Zuri's twin! Maybe she meant a deeper meaning... But what?

--------------

Nala was the last to see the large rock as she followed the group of lions over the hill. She gasped - it was almost as if she had never seen it. Pride Rock was in a worse condition then when she had left it with Kali.The group walked up near the den, the lionesses that had stayed behind greeting them with happy and hopeful faces - and she knew they were thinking she had accepted Simba's offer as Queen of Pride Rock.

Simba turned to a few lionesses that had exchanged greetings with himself and his traveling group. "Please alert all the lionesses there will be a meeting here shortly before sunset. Thank you." The two nodded and split into different directions. He turned to Sarabi. "Mom, I want to meet this Sabili... this sister of mine."

'Why is she grimacing? Why is Kali giving my mother - Wait, our mother, such a look of anger?' Simba thought. "Simba, please, let's talk about her later. Please. Go plan your speech, or something. I'm going to the water hole," Sarabi said tiredly, her eyes wandering past him unto the north-east border.

"Mom, please tell me," he quietly pleaded, "It's almost killing me, wanting to know."

Sarabi looked at him quietly, giving him a sad smile. "Please, my son, Simba, later." She couldn't seem to get enough of calling him 'son', or saying 'Simba' and actually talking to him. "I promise, you'll be told in due time." She walked toward the water hole, her paws quietly hitting the rock beneath them.

--------------

Sabili climbed up the rock ridge, to the top where none of the jungle trees grew and the sunbathing is perfect, where the pride lived. "Sabili!" called out Mdambi, her mother. The pride all called her Ambi for short. "Your father's almost ordered a search party for you! Why didn't you tell Zuri where you were going?"

"Uh, sorry. I wasn't thinking," she said, walking over to Zuri. "Come on, we need to talk."

"You two aren't going anywhere," came the low voice of their father, the king, Takua. "For not telling anyone from the pride where you were going, you're both grounded until I tell you otherwise."

"We need to talk /alone/!" persisted Sabili, stepping forward. "Daddy, please!"

"NO!" he roared, "and DON'T ask AGAIN!" he stormed over to where Takua and other lionesses sat, talking. Sabili frowned at him, and angrily, started to leave. Zuri leapt in front of her, in the way of her path, and her sister tried to pass, but she continually blocked her.

"Wait, wait! Stand still so I can whisper." Sabili looked at her, confused, but stood still. Zuri put her mouth near her ear and whispered, "We'll sneak out tonight, to talk. But only for a little bit."

"Hey, whatcha whispering about?" Ruia, the only other age-mate of Zuri and Sabili's. Sabili smiled at him, backing away from Zuri discreetly.

"Aww, nothing important."

"Must be important and/or secret if your whispering," he gave them both another smile and laid on his back. "Anyway, what do you guys wana do today?"

"Actually, we don't plan on going out this afternoon much. It's almost sunset and we're both tired," Zuri looked at Sabili for support, who nodded.

"You guys could at least tell me what you guys did to get grounded to the Ridge. Where did you two go? I was surprised you were in it Zuri, but not so surprised about Sabili," his eyes gleamed as he gave her a toothy smile.

Sabili stuck out her tounge. Zuri smiled at the two. "Well, I need to go talk to mother, about some buisness or another," she waved her paw around, "Probably mumbo jumbo. I'll see you guys later!" Sabili went to continue to tease him as Zuri bounded into deep grasses and out of sight.

"What are you trying to say? That I'm a trouble maker?" Ruia smiled and nodded. Sabili pretended to pout, "I am sooo not the trouble maker! You are!"

"Nope, you are!" he laughed, playing, and pinning her to the ground. But it didn't feel as all the other times. There was something that felt difference, and from the expression on his face, he felt it too. "Umm," he mumbled, as he released her quickly, taking a couple of steps backwards.

She decided to act dumb. "What?"

Ruia cleared his throat. "Um, nothing. We better go back, they'll be wondering..." He walked toward Ubaya Ridge, stopping and looking over his shoulder at Sabili. "You coming?"

She jogged over to his side. "Yeah. Let's go." She walked with him, side by side, toward the pride.


	3. Telling Sabili

1Silent Reaper - /this/ means italics. For some reason, those never transfer over when I upload, so I use that instead. ::shrugs::

Kovu's Gurl - I left a review on your story :)

Doppleganger - It's a little more... different then adoption. You'll see ;-)

Sunrise: I think they MIGHT meet hehehe :-P gotta keep the suspense. Oops, I forgot to answer your question from your first review. He wants them because they're female if you catch my drift.

Kiara: Of course there's crushin! Makes the story all that more interesting lol.

I'm hoping to get a piccie of Sabili and Zuri and maybe Kali up soon. But I don't look at anything, like a pic of a lion or whatever, so it might take awhile lol.

Okay heres the review record: Chappie 1:7 Chappie 2: 5 awww don't let it drop like that every chapter! Hopefully I get more then three, I'll be happy lol. But I'm really proud of the reviews I'm getting for this story, keep it up!

Also, I forgot to add, when she came back to her pride they wrapped her hurt paw up in a leafy type bandage.

SORRY THIS A/N IS SO LONG AND SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG TO UPDATE!

Chapter 3: Telling Sabili.

Sabili and Zuri stole off into the night, quietly and stealthily, being sure to wake no one of the pride or face the consequences of sneaking out from their mother and father. When they were safely away, Sabili started to talk, "After you didn't reply, Zuri, I followed like I said I would and I came out, and there was this lioness waiting outside for me. She said, 'wondering where your sister Zuri is? She's back where she was born. It's time for /you/ to go back to where you were born.' What do you think she meant by that?"

Zuri looked confused also. "I don't know. Maybe we should ask mom?"

"I don't know. I mean, I know I was born here, mom told me, I mean we're twins!" Zuri nodded, and turned back toward the Ridge.

"We better get back, they'll be waking up soon.." Sabili nodded, following her sister up the ridge, all the time wondering about that mysterious lioness.

-------------

"Mother?" Zuri asked as she entered the den.

"Zuri, is that you?"

"Yes, me and Sabili." Mdambi, almost identical to Zuri, came out into the sunrise's light. Thin, very light covered pelt, and short. Sometimes Sabili felt like an outsider, she was so built, and a dark color (A/N: Darker then Sarabi, lighter then Scar.) She was taller then all of the other lionesses. There were two others a little bit older then her that were like her, a bit lighter though, but the heavy build like herself.

"What is it, my dears?" Zuri looked over at Sabili.

"Well," Sabili started, "We were together that day, when we didn't tell you where we were going. A rouge lion trapped us and put us into a cave, that's how my paw got hurt," she lifted it, "and so Zuri went ahead. When I didn't hear back from her, I came out, and there was this strange lioness there. She said, ' Wondering where your sister is Zuri? She's gone back to the pride, where she was born and raised. However, you need to back to where /you/ were born.' What do you think she was talking about?"

Mdambi's face dropped. She turned to the den. "Takua!" she turned to the two. "Stay here for a moment, girls." They both looked at each other as their mother jogged into the den. "Takua!"

"I wonder what that was about," wondered Zuri out loud. The royal pair came out of the den, exchanging a worried glance.

"Um, Sabili, what we're going to tell you is very difficult for us," Takua said gruffly.

Mdambi jumped in. "But it doesn't make us love you any less. Not at all." Sabili looked at both of them funny and the twin's sat down in unison.

"Um, Sabili, you are the daughter of a king and a ex-queen," Takua said softly, and Sabili's mouth dropped, "Let me finish. You are the daughter of the ex queen of the Pride Lands. When their king died, his brother took over the throne, and let hyenas in. The pride was starving, they needed more land that they could hunt on. They came to us. We were a small, humble pride, but with many lands full of herds. We said they could come, twice a week, in exchange for four lioness cubs. They only had four, or else you would have stayed. But it was not to be."

"But we love you just as if I birthed you!" jumped in Mdambi. Zuri looked over at Sabili tearfully.

"Mom, you lied to me, to us! Telling us we were twins all of our life!" Zuri sobbed, running away from them.

"Zuri, come back!" cried her mother.

"Let her go, 'Dambi," said the King softly. He turned to Sabili. "Are you okay?" Sabili did not respond, instead went running, following her sister.

---------------------------

Nala looked over to her side, to see Simba approching her. She sighed, getting up to leave before he asked her to be his Queen again. And again. And again. He didn't seem to understand why she didn't just say yes, that she had to think. She had been in love with both him and Kali. Kali. He was also waiting around, hoping Nala would choose him.

There was so much pressure from the other lionesses, also, for her to become the Queen. They've been wanting to see this since she was born (Simba already having being born). The day was born, she was betrothed. She didn't understand how they could do that, without even knowing if the two cubs would hate each other. In this case, of course, they had been best of friends, but...

"Hello Nala," greeted her mother, Sarafina. She sat next to her daughter, and Nala knew she was going to ask. "Soo, have you made up your mind?"

"Mothhheerrr. It's only been barely a full moon (A/N A little over a month in other words)."

"I know, but us lionesses are only young for so long."

"Mom, it hasn't been that long. Cool it! I'm tired of everyone telling me what to think and what to do. Maybe if those gossip lionesses over there would leave me alone for a couple days I could actually THINK." Sarafina looked at her daughter, shocked.

"Their not gossip lionesses. They just want a fixed Queen beside our King." Nala sighed.

"I know. But I don't think I want to be Simba's mate. I mean, he's just been so pushy lately for me to accept, and I hate it." Sarafina gave her daughter a kind of I'm-sorry glance, and then stood.

"Well I'm going to be just over here. If you need to talk, just yell for me."

Nala flipped onto her back, staring at the sky. "Thanks mom."

A/N: I have run out of ideas of where to go for this story, so it might be a bit before I update again. Feel free to put your input about where the story should go! REVIEW!!!!!


	4. Journey

A/N: Sorry it took so long! School has seriously been nuts, all the teachers are behind so their pushing homework on us in like every class. And now I've been scrubbing the house spotless and cooking and stuff for Thanksgiving. And THEN I go to upload and fanfictions.. I dunno... broken? lol. Well, thanks for the reviews, keep it up!!

Also, cannibals in this does not mean human eating human, it means lion eating lion. Yeah.

Chapter Four: Journey To Pride Rock

"ZURI!" screamed Sabili, still chasing her in the opposite direction of Ubaya Ridge. Her sister didn't stop. "Fine! Then don't hug me goodbye! Because I'm never coming back! I'm going to Pride Rock, to find this mother of mine!" Zuri came to a halt so quickly she almost fell on her face. She ran to her sister. 'Yes, I will still call her sister,' Zuri decided, 'It's not her fault that our, I mean my, parents told us lies.'

"Sister, please, don't leave me. You're the only one here that I truly can talk to!"

"I have to, Zuri. Don't you understand? Besides, you have Ruia."

Zuri rolled her eyes, her ears pinned back. "You don't even know, do you? The only reason he hung out with us two is because he /likes/ you, Sabili! He's going to be devistated if you leave!"

"Please. Ruia doesn't like me, we're just friends!"

Zuri sighed. "Believe me, Sabili, the way he looks at you is not a 'friends only' look." Sabili thought for a moment, realizing it was true.

"It doesn't matter. I'm still leaving."

"Then I'm going too." Sabili looked at her, startled. "What? You expect me to stay here with my parents? They lied to me just as much as they did to you."

"Zuri, are you stupid? They'll be searching the whole continent if you leave! You're the heir to the throne!"

"So? Your second." The stood in silence for a moment.

"Fine. Let's go. Do you have any idea which way Pride Rock is?" Sabili looked in all of the directions, seeing nothing.

"No. But we'll just walk, uh," she pointed to a east, "this way until we find someone else who can point us in the right direction. It's not like we can ask anybody from the pride which way it is. I think they would know what was happening."

"Okay. Let's go." And the duo left, quietly marching, on a quest for Sabili's parents whom she knew not the name of, and right now, which direction to head.

* * *

Sarabi had just told all about Sabili to Simba. "So, pretty much, you sold her for meat?" Now she was not only upset, but angry.

"Simba, you weren't there! If you had been, this mess wouldn't have happened!" He took a step back, acting almost as if she had swiped him across the face with her paw. She was not regrettful, however. What she felt he needed was a dose of reality. "You don't really get what went on here, do you? Not even after rescuing us. There hadn't been any quality meat for a month. Nala, me, Sarafina, Sabili, Kali, all of us were skin and bones except for Scar. Even the hyenas. There was not even field mice anymore! We could find the occasional sleeping bird, but do you know how hard it is to scale a tree trying not to wake a bird? Nearly impossible. We were all waiting to die when you came back. Did you not notice how skinny we were, how our unfattened flesh and fur drooped from our rib bones?" she paused. "You just don't understand how Sabili and those two other cubs' trading was neccessary for surviving. If we hadn't, by the time /you/ got around to coming back, you would have found us all dead, or most of us, the others becoming cannibals. I, I-" Sarabi broke into to tears. "I can't talk to you right now." She leapt off of the tall rock they had been sitting on and went, alone, in the direction of the water hole.

Simba sat, stunned at his mother's harsh words. "Mom, I didn't mean it in a demeaning way!" he called to her. "I meant, you sold her for meat for the pride's survival!" Sarabi turned around, not making a step toward him.

"I know, Simba. I just needed to blow some steam. Sorry you were a victim," she said quietly, turning back to the waterhole. Simba didn't know what to do, so went to the usual spot where the lionesses usually sunbathed, finding just Nala.

Nala heard the paws on the rock and opened one eye lazily. "Hi Simba."

"Hi," he sprawled himself out on the warm rock, stretching. "How's your day going?" Nala also stretched.

"Okay. You?"

"Okay." There was a moment of silence. Then Simba spoke up. "Nala, do you ever think about what really happens to the dead? I mean, we all know what happen to the Great Kings, but what about the rest? I mean, I guess the Great Queens would be with their mates, but what about the common lioness?" he started up at the sun, about to set.

Nala sat up, pondering this. "I don't know. I mean, maybe they're up there too, just in a different section, or maybe-"

"Nala!" came a deep voice calling from somewhere below where she was on Pride Rock. Her ears instantly distinguished the voice as Kali's.

"Up here!" she called back, looking over at Simba briefly.

"Hi, dear," Kali said as he tried to lick her cheek, but she backed away.

"Hi Kali," she said, looking at the two lions as they glared at each other, once again she saw the look of competition in their eyes. She rolled her eyes. "So what did you need?"

He broke his look from Simba. "I came, because I needed to see you," he smiled. He sounded so sickly sweet, that she actually winced.

"Oh," was all she could think to answer him to. Kali shifted nerviously, then cleared his throat.

"Simba, could you, um, excuse us for a bit? I need to talk to Nala privately. Simba eyed him, then Nala, who smiled at him encouragingly.

"Sure," he said slowly, walking away. When he was out of hearing distance, Kali turned to Nala.

"Nala, I've been waiting so long for you to make up your mind for so long..."

"Kali..."

"... and, I mean, I thought you loved me..."

"...Kali, listen to me..."

"...You and I agreed, we were going to start a pride of our own..."

"...Kalllii..."

"...and remember when you..."

"...KALI!" Kali's muzzle froze in mid-word. "Kali, listen to me. It hasn't been 'forever', it's been a full moon. You've been so pushy, but when I was at that other pride as a spy, you barely visited. I'm starting to think this is a contest to you, a see-if-you-can-get-Nala-to-marry-you-and-not-that-Simba-lion kind of contest."

Kali shook his head feverishly. "No Nala. Never. I just love you, and want you to be my mate." He looked almost hungrily at her, and she took a step back.

"I know Kali. But I still-."

"Haven't made up your mind."

Nala nodded. "Exactly." Kali sighed.

"Well, if you do ever make up your mind, you know where to find me," he gave her a smile. "Love you." He no longer expected it back, and walked quietly away. Nala sighed, laying down to watch the last of the sun set, alone, but her mind's conversation with itself filled up the lonlieness.

* * *

"Sabili, maybe we should go back. We've walked for two days and haven't run into anything, not even a antalope, not that they'd stick around for us to ask them," Zuri said, her paws still walking on rhythmically, like a robot.

"We'll find someone soon, I'm sure," Sabili reassured her sister. She scanned the landscape again. Her ears perked up as she saw something move. "Hey, there's something moving over there." Zuri looked also, seeing it.

"Let's go!" they ran toward the moving figure, then finding it to be a lone lioness, who now was facing them, claws unsheathed.

"What do you want?" she called from where she crouched in pouncing position, ready to strike at a moments notice. She was young, younger then themselves, just now fully grown (Sabili and Zuri have been full grown for a year, there 2 years old). She had a light creamy, almost white, fur and piercing olive green eyes that just caused you to stare into them.

"Do you know the way to Pride Rock?" Sabili asked bravely, stepping forward. The lioness stepped back.

"Why?"

"I'm looking for my mother."

"What's her name?"

Sabili hung her head low. "I don't know."

"Ha, your just trying to attack our pride aren't you, or just trying to become a spy. I'm not showing you the way."

"I'm serious! All I know was that I was adopted while some lion named Scar was king. Is he still king?" The lioness said nothing. "Please. I have to find my mother, my father!" The lioness stood up slowly, dileberatly, and looked at her for a moment. Finally, she sighed.

"I'll help you."

A/N: What'd ya think? To full of fluff? Not fluffy enough? Tired of hearing the word fluff? Lol. REVIEW!! Thanks, love ya!

Alyssa


	5. Foolish Cub

1There's really not that many new characters. Sabili is Sarabi and Scar's daughter who Sabili didn't know they were her parents and thought that Mdambi and Takua were (hence how Zuri was her "sister.") Kali is Sabili's twin brother that remained at Pride Rock, so it's like half brother against half brother for Nala. Hope that helped.

Also, some people did not understand that "Shrek: A Persuasive Paper" wasn't my real opinion. My real opinion is that it's fine for kids, but it's just easier to write negatively.

Please remember that usually the King is the only male and he "services" all the lionesses in his pride.

WARNING: Adult language is used in this chapter, hence it is rated PG-13.

Thanks for the reviews everyone!!

Sarafina approached her daughter quietly, sitting next to her. "You know, Nala, you're almost 6 months away from being two, which means you will need to have found a mate or be cast as just a member of the lionesses. We both know you could survive as just a anonymous lioness, without a life partner, a mate. There were so many great things planned for you."

"Well, they all went down the drain when Simba 'died.' Things only got more complicated from there," she sighed, dragging her paw in the dirt that covered the rock in a thin layer.

"I know. You have to make a decision soon, dear. Time does not wait for anybody or anything."

"It's so unfair," she muttered.

"Of course it's unfair. We're lionesses," Sarafina replied softly, licking her cheek. Nala remained silent.

Sabili eyed the lioness suspiciously. "Who /are/ you, anyway?" The lioness looked up at her.

"I'm Shistise," she replied, "A lioness of Pride Rock."

"So we must be close?" asked Zuri hopefully.

"Actually, a day away. I'm a messenger, on my way back from a pride close to here. Ubaya Ridge."

Sabili glance over at Zuri. She knew if she had any inkling of who Zuri was, that she was a first in line princess of that pride or any pride, she wouldn't show them the way. "Never heard of it. We're rouges, always passing prides, never really staying around to know their names." Shistese nodded.

"Well, Pride Rock is to the northeast, here," she pointed, "If your rouges, well I can't say this officially, but our King is very nice and will most likely let you join."

"Well, I can only speak for myself, but that would be wonderful," Sabili smiled, looking once again over to Zuri. Zuri shrugged.

"I might go back to where, uh, mother's buried?" It came out as more of a question, and Shitese looked over at her suspiciously. While she was looking at Zuri, Sabili's eyes got wide, and she mouthed, 'Don't be so suspicious'

Zuri straightened herself. "Mother's buried a couple days away from here, to the West," she added, looking at Sabili, who nodded.

"She was all she had, but she's gone from us now," Sabili said flatly, meaning it. Shistese nodded once again.

"We better get going if we're going to make it by sunset."

Nala roared loudly to get the attention of the Pride. They gathered, all whispering, wondering what was going on. "Thank you for responding," she said, "I have made my decision, about who I am going to become the mate too. I have chosen, I," she looked across the pride. "But I have chosen neither. I will not become the mate to either one of them. I don't think I can get close enough to either one of them to choose them for life." Shocked gasps erupted though the lionesses, and Sarafina rushed up.

"What are you doing, you cub! You don't realize what your throwing away, what your giving up! Let me tell you, you do /not/ want to become me, a mere lioness with no mate of your own! Ohh, I could just slap you right now!" she turned to the crowd, still gathered, "She has NOT made up her mind yet, and-."

"MOM! You can't make my choices for me!"

"-we will let you know as soon as possible. Sorry for the disruption!" she turned to Nala. "You are a stupid, stupid cub. You will make a decision between the two of them, you will NOT be just a lioness of this pride. Either you and Kali make a pride of your own, or you become Queen of Pride Rock. I cannot believe you! Risking not having a mate like that!"

"Mom, you can't make my decisions for me! This is mine and mine only, and you will have no say WHAT SO EVER!" She ran away from her mother, down Pride Rock.

"Don't you understand?" she said softly to herself, "I'm doing this for your future, your well-being. Don't hate me." She started to cry, silently, and went into the empty lion's den, willing herself to sleep.

Ruia was roused from his nap from the high pitched voice of the Queen, Mdambi. "Ruia! Ruia! GET UP!" she screamed. He leapt to his feet, still drowsy.

"Yes, Queen?" he asked tiredly, yawning.

"Where is Sabili and Zuri?" she demanded.

"What do you mean, where are they?"

"Don't lie to me, boy. I know you helped them runaway, saw them, they told you goodbye, something! Just tell me before they get to far, or, or–!"

"You'll be banished!" screamed Takua from behind him, and Ruia swirled around.

"Takua -"

"King."

"King, majesty, I promise you I don't know where they are! If I did, I would surely tell you!" His eyes pleaded with Takua's.

Takua turned to his Queen. "Mdambi, assemble a group of lionesses, five big. That's as many as we can afford to send out. Have them travel in the direction of Pride Rock. Scan the area. Most likely, because Simba just came into power, he won't let you all in his kingdom, but ask if they're there. If so, demand they be brought back or be killed according to the laws of the lands."

Mdambi thought the certain law was fruitless and stupid, Takua had almost died once because he had taken a lioness in and then found out she was from a pride when the group had come looking for her. But in this case, it was in her favor, so she respected it. "Right away, my love," she replied. "LIONESSES! GATHER!" she screamed.

Takua turned to Ruia, once again looking disgusted. "Are you a lioness? I didn't think so. Get out of here, you, you, ASS!" Although his words were angry, his eyes were troubled.

Ruia's mouth opened wide. He had only heard Takua curse once, and that was when a large rock had landed straight onto his skull. Worse yet, Takua had never really even been /angry/ at him before, acting as a father to him! Ruia, close to tears, but trying to be a lion and suck it up, frowned at him. Not in a mad way a frown is usually used, but a disappointed, saddened frown.

"AHHHHHHH!" screamed Shistese, her claws clinging desperately to the side of the rock which she had slipped on. The narrow rock path, with two steep drops on the sides, was the only way to get to Pride Rock without having to go into "Small Pride" territory, where all of the smaller prides lived while trying to find land for the humble prides.

"Hold on, Shitese!" called Zuri. Sabili dug her claws into the lionesses paws.

"Sorry, it's the only way," she huffed, trying to drag the lioness up into safety, Zuri digging her claws into the back of Shistese, helping her up, as she cried out in pain of the claws digging into her.

Shitese landed on the flat surface, panting and moaning. Zuri eyed her worriedly as Sabili started to lick the wounds.

She back from cleaning the wounds, surveying her. "We better stay somewhere near for a night or two, we left deep marks," she said to her sister, then turning to Shistese. "What do you think?" All the lioness could do was nod, the pain overtaking her in waves, as if she had been bitten deep and sharp many, many times. Sabili continued to take charge. "Okay, Zuri, try to find a nice spot near here to rest, preferably a small den of some sort."

Zuri nodded. "Be right back," she said over her shoulder as she took off. Sabili continued to clean her savior's wounds again. Her savior, taking her away from a life of lies.

"We need someone royal to stay!" persisted Takua, to his Queen Mdambi. "And usually, that lioness would be both Zuri and Sabili. But they're both missing, and we need royal blood to be here at the pride. You /have/ to stay, Mdambi!" he repeated, his voice rising.

"NO! I will not be left out of the search for my girls!" she cried out, her chin quivering. Takua sighed.

"Fine. Come. But because of your selfish acts, if we get slain, there will be NO one to lead this pride. It will be all on your shoulders."

"If you want royal blood to stay here so much, YOU stay." Takua glared at her.

"You know I am the King and am required to go."

"Not required. It's not in the Laws Of The Lands," Mdambi challenged.

Takua roared at her in anger, about to claw at her face. "Are you challenging me?"

Mdambi roared back. "That would be stupid of me, now, wouldn't it? I'm a lioness. I can't match your power."

Takua was still roaring angry words at her. "Then I suggest you take your voice down many tones."

One almost grown lioness whispered to her female twin. "Look how those girls are tearing up the royal family. You'd think she'd just try to get pregnant again." Mdambi heard this and turned around, angrily.

"Unbeknownst to you, young one, I have good hearing. Also, you can't just replace my cubs."

The young lioness laughed. "Cub. Only one was truly yours." The two laughed, as Mdambi boiled over. Takua stepped in front of his Queen.

"Unless you two want to become rouges, I would suggust you shut your bitchy mouths." The King was in their faces, and the two crouched down.

Their mother rushed in-between them. "Please, I beg you, your majesty. They will learn good behavior, I promise," she pleaded, about to cry. "Just don't banish them from Ubaya. Please!"

Takua nodded slowly. "You better make sure they don't speak even slightly rudely to me or your Queen again," he said darkly, as the two shrank back even further.

The mother was now crying, and so was the Queen. The lioness nodded. "I promise. Promise."

Please R & R!!! Also, my next story after this one is done (Just the summary, well a long summary):

Surviving Death

Another "what if...?" story from me. Actually, I think all of mine are "what if's"

As Simba sat, crying, Scar told him to "Run. Run far, far away, and never return." But the young cub refuses, instead running up the gorge and back home to tell his family what happened!

(So pretty much, he didn't run away lol.Please tell me if you like this idea. Not sure where story might go, have NO plot planned lol. But I usually never have a plot planned. So it all works out.)

R & R!!! THANKS


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